UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for an individual consultant to provide technical support on School Improvement Grant Monitoring

Harare

Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Harare
Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Education, Learning and Training
- Information Technology and Computer Science
- External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Children's rights (health and protection)
- Early Childhood Development
- Grant writing
Closing Date: Closed

UNICEF Zimbabwe is seeking to recruit an individual consultant to provide technical support on School Improvement Grant Monitoring, to strengthen the implementation of the various modalities of School Improvement Grant processes and accountabilities.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, quality Education!

UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights.

The current UNICEF-Government of Zimbabwe Country Programme of Cooperation (2016-2020), extended to 2021, aims to support Zimbabwe to sustain and build upon the gains achieved for children during the 2012-2015 Country Programme of Cooperation. The programme focuses on improving the quality of social services, increasing access to services, and helping to build national and sub-national capacities to provide low-cost, high-impact interventions for all children, especially the most vulnerable.

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How can you make a difference?

To provide technical support on School Improvement Grant Monitoring, to strengthen the implementation of the various modalities of School Improvement Grant processes and accountabilities.

Consultancy Terms of Reference

SECTION

Education

CONSULTANCY TITLE

School Improvement Grant Monitoring Consultant

TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT

Consultant

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Consultancy to support strengthening the implementation of the various modalities of School Improvement Grant (SIG) processes and accountabilities.

BACKGROUND & JUSTIFICATION

The School Improvement Grant (SIG) programme aims “to provide financially constrained schools with enough resources to address their most basic needs and to meet a minimum set of school functionality criteria with the aim of improving the quality of teaching and learning at the school level and reducing user fee costs for vulnerable children”.^[1] The School Improvement Grants (SIGs) are implemented by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) with support from UNICEF and have been in place since 2013. The School Improvement Grants (SIG) are a component of the Education Transition fund (up to 2015) and then the Education Development fund. All funds from SIGs are contribution of the EDF partners: DFID and the German Development Bank (KfW).

The SIGs are disbursed directly to a dedicated school bank account from a UNICEF account, and have been used to address issues of access, quality, governance and resourcing within the context of specific needs articulated in a school’s SDP. This plan may include issues such as ensuring access to quality education to pupils coming from the most marginalised households and to those with special education needs. The plan may also focus on the improvement of quality of teaching in classrooms, materials provision (core and non-core teaching and learning materials), improvement of school facilities and effective school resource management.

Grants are disbursed to each selected school annually to fund different components of non-salary and non-personnel needs that are indicated within a School Development Plan. The amount of SIG, however has been changing based on available resources annually. Spending of SIG is also based on the utilization criteria which stipulates eligible items and non-eligible items. Since inception, the utilization criteria are reviewed regularly taking into account the available funds, and the prevailing financial situation in the country to ensure that the best value for money on the expenditure of the SIG is made to benefit the most disadvantaged learners and schools. The utilization criteria basically establish the components of “school functionality” on annual basis. Verification findings and monitoring reports are also used to inform the utilization criteria.

Despite the recent financial constrains in the country, SIG continues to be a critical financial assistance for disadvantaged schools in Zimbabwe to maintain their minimum functionality and improve teaching and learning. UNICEF, which is a close partner to MoPSE, will continue making sure that all SIG modalities are planned, implemented, monitored and reported well so that those disadvantaged schools can receive and utilize the funds in a timely manner for children to benefit from the improvement made in their schools.

In addition to the above, the current global environment demands both development and humanitarian assistance to be implemented in accordance to safeguarding consideration. Safeguarding “in its broad sense means protecting people and the environment from unintended harm,”^[2] and UNICEF has been engaging in the actions to encourage discussions around the issues of safeguarding and to strengthen the safeguarding mechanisms in various concerning sectors. As part of its efforts, UNICEF is reviewing specific safeguarding subjects can be integrated into the SIG processes.

Objectives of the assignment

To support strengthening the implementation and monitoring of various SIG modalities including regular SIG to school, SIG Complementary Funding, and SIG Emergency through monitoring and analysis of SIG utilization in relation to the ongoing financial challenges, and integration of safeguarding elements into the SIG criteria.

The specific objectives of this consultancy are the following;

Implementation of Complementary Funding

Support MoPSE to revise the selection and utilization criteria and identify target schools for 2021 Complementary funding disbursement
Document good practices and lessons learnt from the 2020 SIG Complementary Funding disbursement
Support Ministry to develop a Complementary Funding Operations manual
Work with Communication Section to produce human interest stories (HIS) of all SIG modalities, especially on SIG Complementary Funding

Implementation of regular SIG and other SIGs

Support Education Specialist in developing selection criteria and reviewing utilization criteria for 2022 regular SIG
Support MoPSE Training department in developing e-learning module on financial management and facilitating roll out training
Support MoPSE in reviewing financial management manual
Analysis of SIG utilization and schools’ capacities for all SIG modalities and produce analysis of trends in SIG utilization by schools over time, specially paying attention to their coping mechanisms and capacities to maintain the value for money (vfm) and purchasing power of SIG funds in relation to the on-going financial constraints
Compile and disaggregate results of all SIG modalities for database and reporting (EDF and GPE Progress Reports)
Facilitate printing of IEC materials on SIG

Integration of safeguarding elements into the SIG criteria

Finalise brief on safeguarding in SIG with recommendations and key messages
Hold a consultation meeting with MoPSE on the draft brief on safeguarding in SIG

To support any other related activities in the AWP

MAJOR TASKS, DELIVERABLES, TIMEFRAMES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Major Task	Deliverable	Timeframe	Payment schedule
Inception report outlining approach and methodology in carrying out the task. Review of the 2020 Complementary Funding criteria and results and 2021 SIG Complementary Funding criteria revision consultation Document good practices and lessons learnt from the 2020 SIG Complementary Funding disbursement Support Ministry to develop a Complementary Funding Operations manual	Work plan with timeframes is submitted Reviewed report on SIG Complementary Funding criteria and results submitted Draft selection criteria submitted Document on good practices produced and submitted Draft Complementary Funding Operations manual produced and shared	22 days	25% of contract value
Work with Communication Section to produce human interest stories (HIS) of all SIG modalities, especially on SIG Complementary Funding Support the finalization of 2021 SIG Complementary Funding target schools Support development of selection criteria for 2022 regular SIG	Field monitoring report with a HIS List of SIG Complementary Funding target schools Draft regular SIG 2022 list	22 days	25% of contract value
Support MoPSE Training department in developing e-learning module on financial management and facilitating roll out training Support MoPSE in reviewing financial management manual Analysis of SIG utilization trend based on verification and rapid assessment reports	Final consultation report is submitted SIG modalities’ trend analysis report is submitted Field monitoring report with a HIS is submitted Final draft brief on Safeguarding in SIG is submitted	22 days	25% of contract value
Finalise brief on safeguarding in SIG with recommendations and key messages Hold a consultation meeting on safeguarding recommendations Facilitate finalization of IEC materials on SIG	Final consultation report Final draft brief on Safeguarding in SIG SIG related IEC materials ready for printing	22 days	25% of contract value

Supervisor: Education Specialist

Start Date:

1/09/2021

End date:

31/12/2021

Total Working Days:

Consultant Sourcing: National/ International

Consultant Selection Method: Competitive Selection

Payment

[3]Lumpsum or monthly:

Fees are paid on a monthly basis upon completion of deliverables.

Travel International (if applicable)

Travel Local (please include locations)

Yes

Locations: National-all the 10 Provinces in the country

DSA (if applicable)

Approximate number of days: 10

Yes for local travel

Administrative details: N/A

Transportation arranged by the office for field trips

Home and or office Based depending on the COVID situation

If office based, seating arrangement identified: Yes

Internet access required: Yes

Application requirement

Technical proposal and an all inclusive financial proposal as part of the online application

[1] CfBT and SNV (2013) School Improvement Grants Design Framework, January 2013.

[2] DFID. Enhanced Due Diligence – Safeguarding for External Partners. June 2018.

[3] Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Development studies or Education Field. A relevant Master’s degree is an added advantage;
Three years work experience with the development of capacity development programmes for government, institutions, or civil society organizations;
Fluency in spoken and written English;
Excellent computer, research and data management skills;
Excellent analytical and report writing skills;
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to support multidisciplinary teams;
Ability to interact and communicate with government and non-government partners;
Familiar with the Zimbabwean education system and context;

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA)

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Builds and maintains partnerships
Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
Drive to achieve results for impact
Innovates and embraces change
Manages ambiguity and complexity
Thinks and acts strategically
Works collaboratively with others

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

To apply

If interested and available to undertake the consultancy, please submit your application online and attach the required documents including the technical and an all-inclusive financial proposal (detailing professional fees, DSA, airfare etc. where necessary). The consultancy involves 10 field travel days. UNICEF will provide transport support for field travel in pursuance of the assignment.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

This vacancy is now closed.
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